Variable liquid dispensing meter



Feb. 25, 1958 T. GRETHER VARIABLE LIQUID DISPENSING METER Filed Oct. 28, 1954 Z SheetS-Sheet 1 R m M 2m {Q m a n 5 n m w 7 Y k B Q NH N m um 6g Feb. 25, 1958 T. GRETHER 2,824,669

VARIABLE LIQUID DISPENSING METER I Filed Oct. 28', 1954 2 Sheetsl-Sheet 2 705/45 6'25 TAZZ IN VEN TOR.

. i 5 BY 0770205 4 5 Unite This invention relates to a variable liquid meter.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a device Which will meter and deliver liquids, such as fumigants, fertilizers and the like, at an accurate and predetermined rate, which rate can be varied or adjusted to meet different conditions.

In the treatment of land it is frequently desired to distribute thereover a fumigant or a fertilizer which will be evenly distributed and which at the time of distribution is in a liquid form. Some of the liquids used for this purpose are of a gummy nature and others are of a highly corrosive nature, and in a device of this character it is, therefore, highly important that the structure be relatively free of the hazard of clogging and that the structure be wear and corrosion resistant. As conditions of land vary considerably it is likewise important that the amount distributed or fed from the device be variable over a wide range of adjustment.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a liquid meter that will satisfactorily meet the above requirements.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the variable liquid meter embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken substantially upon the line 22 upon Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a partial View in vertical section taken substantially upon the line 3-3 upon'Fig. 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the improved liquid meter consists of an outer casing or housing composed of an outer casting within which is pressed a steel liner 11, thus forming an outer shell. The liner 11 has inlet and outlet ports formed therein which are alternately arranged around the interior thereof. Thus, in the construction illustrated, there are six inlet ports indicated at 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17. These ports are in communication with inlet cavities 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23, respectively.

The inlet cavities are defined from outlet cavities that are arranged therebetween, such outlet cavities being indicated at 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29, by vertical ribs 30 which are connected at their tops by horizontal ribs 31. The inner faces of the ribs 30 and 31 contact the exterior of the liner 11 around outlet ports formed in the liner. Thus, the outlet cavity 24 is in communication with an outlet port 32 and, in a similar manner, the other outlet cavities are in communication with outlet ports 33, 34, 35, 36 and 37.

On the interior of the casing or housing there is a rotor sleeve 38 which has cavities 39 hobbed or otherwise formed on the exterior thereof. This sleeve fits closely within and is rotatable within the liner 11, and the cavities 39 are arranged to traverse the inlet and State atet outlet ports in the liner in the course of its rotation. The sleeve is rotated by means of a non-circular vertical shaft 40 which is supported on any suitable thrust bearing, such as that indicated at 41. This vertical shaft has a bevel gear 42 at its upper end meshing with a pinion 43 on a shaft 44. The shaft 44 is rotated by any suitable means from a ground wheel or by a mechanism which will cause the shaft 44 to rotate at a speed directly proportional to the speed at which the ground is being traversed. Consequently, the rotor sleeve 38 will also be rotated at a speed directly proportional to that at which the ground is being traversed.

The rotor sleeve 38 is vertically adjustable with relation to the shaft 40 and with relation to the housing or casing. This adjustment is accomplished by means of a bolt 45 which extends downwardly through the bevel gear 42 and through a sealing cap 46 that is rotatable with the shaft 40. The bolt 45 has a collar 47 thereon and is threaded into the hub of the rotor sleeve 38. Thus, by rotating the bolt 45 the rotor sleeve 38 may be caused to assume either the full line position shown in Fig. 1 or a lowered position indicated by dotted lines on Fig. 1.

The upper ends of the inlet cavities 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 are connected together, forming an annular manifold 48 which is supplied with liquid, such as a fumigant or a liquid fertilizer, through an inlet 49. This inlet is controlled by an inlet valve 50 that is floatcontrolled by a float 51. This serves to maintain the level of liquid in'the manifold 48 at a constant level so that pressure on the structure is relatively low and constant.

Airvents may be arranged at suitable intervals around the top 'of the manifold. Similarly, air vents 53 are arranged in the outer casting 10 opposite the tops of the outlet cavities 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29. Tubes, or similar conduits, 54 lead from the individual outlet cavities and may either discharge directly onto the ground that is'being traversed or may be discharged into a suitable sprayer or other structure that will produce an even distribution of the liquid that is being metered.

55 indicates an inlet fitting by which a lubricant can be introduced into the interior of the housing or casing and within the rotor sleeve 38.

The operation of the above-described invention is substantially as follows. As previously explained, the shaft 44 rotates at a rate directly proportional to ground speed.

'As the cavities 39 in the rotor sleeve traverse the inlet ports 12 to 17 inclusive, they receive liquid from the inlet cavities which are being constantly supplied from the manifold 48 and from the inlet 49. The cavities 39 on being filled with liquid pass from their respective inlet port-s to their respective outlet ports and discharge their contents through the outlet ports into the outlet cavities and into the conduits 54. As the cavities 39 empty, air is permitted to enter through the vents 53. After the cavities have emptied their contents the continned rotation of the rotor sleeve brings these cavities again into registration with inlet ports Where they are refilled and as rotation continues the refilled ports will again be emptied into outlet cavities.

It will be appreciated that when the rotor sleeve 38 is in its uppermost or full line position shown in Fig. 1

, that the cavities will completely empty or discharge by gravity through the outlet ports into the outlet cavities and into the conduits 54. However, if the sleeve is adjusted by the bolt 45 into a lower position, such as that indicated in dotted lines, the cavities on traversing the outlet ports will only partially empty. Only those portions of the cavities 39 which are exposed above the bottom edges of the outlet ports will empty by gravity. The remaining liquid that is in the lower portion of the cavities merely remains therein during the continued rotation of the rotor sleeve. In this manner, by vertically adjusting the rotor sleeve the amount that is discharged from each of the cavities 39 can be varied. However, in any given position of adjustment the amount of liquid that is discharged or released is constant for any given ground speed of the vehicle on which the device is mounted.

'It will be appreciated from the above-described construction that the device is not dependent upon pressure for its operation or for variation. Pressure on the liquid in the inlet cavities is regulated entirely by the height of liquid in the manifold 48 which is controlled by the Heat valve 50. As there are no small orifices through which the liquid must pass, danger of clogging is completely eliminated. By treating the interior of the liner and the exterior of the rotor sleeve with hard chrome plate, these parts which are the principal ones that are subjected to wear are adequately protected not only against wear but also against corrosion in the event that the liquids employed are of a corrosive character. The structure may be adequately lubricated by lubricant forced therein through the inlet fitting 55.

Leakage around the top and bottom of the rotor sleeve can be effectively stopped by means of sealing rings as illustrated on the drawing. Access to the head of the bolt 45 for adjustment is accomplished by removing the cover plate from the top of the housing and turning the shaft 44 until the head of the bolt is no longer in a position directly therebeneath.

While a vertical adjustment of the rotor sleeve is the preferred arrangement for varying the height of the cavities with relation to the outlet ports, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the advantages of the construction could be equally gained by varying the height of the bottom edges of the outlet ports with relation to the rotor sleeve. This could be accomplished by either vertically adjusting the liner 11 with relation to the rotor sleeve or providing other means for varying the effective height of the bottom edge of each outlet port.

'It will be appreciated from the above-described construction that the improved liquid meter is of relatively simple and durable construction and will not only be highly accurate in its dispensing of liquids but is variable.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A variable liquid meter comprising a vertically arranged cylindrical easing or housing having inlet cavities and outlet cavities arranged alternately about the interior thereof, a rotor sleeve rotatable about a vertical axis .within the casing having cavities on the exterior thereof arranged to pass into and out of registration with the inlet and outlet cavities, means for filling the inlet cavities in the casing with liquid to be dispensed, and means for conducting liquid from the outlet cavities which is carried thereto from the inlet cavities by the cavities on the sleeve, means for rotating the rotor sleeve, and means for axially varying the position of the sleeve relative to the casing whereby the amount of liquid released from the cavities in the sleeve into the outlet cavities in the casing may be varied.

2. A variable liquid meter for distributing fumigants, fertilizers and the like comprising a vertically arranged cylindrical casing or housing having inlet cavities and outlet cavities arranged alternately around the interior thereof, a rotor sleeve rotatable about a vertical axis within the casing having cavities on the exterior thereof arranged to pass into and out of registration with the inlet and outlet cavities, float-controlled means for filling the inlet cavities in the casing with liquid to be dispensed and maintaining the liquid therein at a constant level, means for conducting liquid from the outlet cavities which is carried thereto from the inlet cavities by the cavities on the sleeve, means for rotating the sleeve, and means for axially varying the position of the sleeve relative to the casing whereby the amount of liquid released from the cavities in the sleeve into the outlet cavities in the casing may be varied without necessarily altering the speed of rotation of the rotor sleeve.

3. A variable liquid meter for dispensing fumigants, liquid fertilizers and the like comprising a vertically arranged cylindrical shell having inlet cavities and outlet cavities arranged alternately around the interior thereof, a liner within the shell having inlet ports and outlet ports therein in communication with the inlet cavities and outlet cavities respectively, a rotor sleeve rotatable about a vertical axis within the liner having cavities on the exterior thereof arranged to pass into and out of registration with the inlet and outlet ports in the liner, means for filling the inlet cavities in the shell with liquid to be dispensed and maintaining the liquid therein at a predetermined level, means for conducting liquid from the outlet cavities which is carried thereto from the inlet cavities by the cavities on the sleeve, means for rotating the sleeve, and means for axially varying the position of the sleeve relative to the liner whereby portions of the cavities on the sleeve exposed above the bottom edges of outlet ports in the liner may be varied without necessarily altering the speed of rotation of the rotor sleeve.

4. A variable liquid meter for dispensing fumigants, liquid fertilizers and the like comprising a vertically arranged cylindrical shell having inlet cavities and outlet cavities arranged alternately around the interior thereof, a liner within the shell having inlet ports and outlet ports therein in communication with the inlet cavities and outlet cavities respectively, a rotor sleeve rotatable about a vertical axis within the liner having cavities on the exterior thereof arranged to pass into and out of registration with the inlet and outlet ports in the liner, means for filling the inlet cavities in the shell with liquid to be dispensed and maintaining the liquid therein at a predetermined level, means for conducting liquid from the outlet cavities which is carried thereto from the inlet cavities by the cavities on the sleeve, means for rotating the sleeve, and means for varying the position of the bottom edges of the outlet ports relative to the height of the cavities on the sleeve whereby portions of the cavities on the sleeve which are exposed above the bottom edges of the outlet ports in the liner may be varied without necessarily altering the speed of rotation of the rotor sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 97,317 Rowell Nov. 30, 1869 888,118 Remley May 19, 1908 1,674,991 'Pfouts June 26, 1928 1,811,898 Schur et al. June 30, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS 13,228 Great Britain May 27, 1893 840,007 Germany May 26, 1952 

